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Batman Vol 2 39
Supporting Characters: * Batman Family :* :* :* :* :* :* * Batman Villains :* :* :* :* :* :* :* Villains: * :* * Other Characters: * Locations: * :* :* :* Items: * Vehicles: * | StoryTitle2 = The Last Smile | Synopsis2 = Having made their way down into the sewers of Gotham City, the escaped Arkham Asylum prisoners lead Dr. Mahreen Zaheer into an elevator, which leads them to the Marquis Publishing Group offices - with which Mahreen is uncomfortably familiar. As it happens, this is where Mahreen sealed her book deal on the Joker's life story. Grinning, Mrs. Chen explains that she doesn't have a story to tell like the others - that's the joke. Now it's Mahreen's turn to tell her story. Unlike their patently false tales, Mahreen believes hers is true, developed from years of difficult research. The Joker grew up as William Distal, shifting between six different foster homes after he was abandoned by his parents - she talked to the parents. He was a bully, and would manipulate other children against each other. When he was sixteen, he ran away to the Narrows. During the Zero Year, he faked his death so that he could shape his own story and become something new. The inmates are enraged by what they believe are lies, having been led to believe that the Joker was the key to their salvation. Sensing their animosity, Mahreen runs and locks herself in a room. Desperately, she tries to call Eric Border, when she is surprised to hear his voice from behind her. She turns to see that it is not Eric, but the Joker - realizing finally that they were always the same man. He grins, reminding her of how she'd showed him the ropes when he first showed up at Arkham as Eric. How she grew to trust him enough to show him her manuscript. When he saw all of the blanks in the story she had, he took pity on her, and helped her fill them in. All the same - what he'd told her had only been a story - the story she wanted to hear. He had done the same with all of them. They'd wanted to know the truth about him, and he'd told them the story they wanted to hear. The Joker passes Mahreen a revolver with five bullets. He explains that he is leaving the choice up to her as to which of the six stories is true. Only one can survive. Tearfully, Mahreen challenges that none of the stories are true. The Joker tosses her a sixth bullet for herself, if that's how she wants to play it. Knowing that she doesn't have time to kill him, he disappears, and worriedly, Mahreen watches as the door bursts open, and six shots are fired. | Appearing2 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * * * * * Villains: * Other Characters: * * Locations: * Items: * Vehicles: * | Notes = | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = }}